Grain door opener



Feb. ll, 1941. T. A. MARTIN GRAIN DooR OPENER Filed Oct. 2l, 1940 Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES GRAIN DOOR OPENER Thomas A. Martin, Fort Worth, Tex., assigner to Lone Star Elevators, Fort Worth, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application October 21, 1940, Serial No. 362,161

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for opening doors of grain cars, which consist generally of Wooden planks positioned vertically within the door jambs extending across the door opening and nailed from the inside to the jambs.

To open such doors heretofore very complicated devices have been used, or alternatively a simple crow bar and man power.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple cheap portable device which can be readily handled by one man in combination with a hoist tackle and which has proven very eiiicient.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination oi parts hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

One sheet of drawing accompanies this specification in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a side view of the improved device as applied to a grain car door, preliminary to opening same;

Figure 2 is a horizontal View looking down- Ward on Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical cross-section taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section taken on line 4 4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section of the door engaging end of the device at the end of the door lifting movement.

Referring to the drawing, C represents the car iloor, D the car door, and J the door jamb. Adjacent the car is shown a platform I, known as an island at grain elevators, upon which is a fixed post P.

To open the door D it is necessary that the same be pressed inwardly against the grain sul- 40 ciently to draw the nails which have fastened its ends to the door jamb J, and after it has'reached this inward position that the door be lifted vertically to permit the grain to escape beneath its bottom edge and the car door. To accomplish this object a toggle device is provided, having at one end a clamp I adapted to embrace the fixed post P and carrying a pivot cam lever 2 by means of which it can be located in position on the post. The clamp I has outwardly directed lugs 3 to 50 which is hingedly connected a channel shaped member 6 by means of bolt 4. Slidably positioned within members 6 is a second channel member 5 having in its side Walls a plurality of aligned openings 8, by means of which, and a 55 bolt '1, the member 5 can be longitudinally extended with respect to member 6 to vary the effective lengths of member 5. A bracing member 9 is secured beween the side Walls of member 6 and extends beyond its end carrying on its outermost end downwardly directed lugs II) 5 adapted to guide and brace member 5. On the outer end of member 5 are positioned lugs II between which is pvotally secured a length I2 having at its free end an eye I3 adapted to receive the hook of a block and tackle hoist device. 10 A second channel member I4 is pivoted at one end as by bolt I5 to member 5 intermediate the latters ends and between the side Walls of the free end of member I4 is pivoted by bolt I6 a gaff link Il having an outwardly directed prong 15 I8 adapted to engage the car door. A handle I9 is provided near the free end of member I4 for preliminarily positioning the device on the door.

In operation the car to be opened is drawn up beside an island I, with the door adjacent a fixed 20 post P, and the door opening device preliminarily adjusted by means of bolt 1 to the distance between the post and the car door. Members 5 and I4 are then hinged angularly as indicated in full lines in Figure 1, and the clamp I secured to the 25 xed post, While the gaif link I'I is brought into contact with the car door.

A block and tackle is then applied to link I2 and upon hoisting the free end of member 5 the members 5 and I4 straighten and in so doing 30 force the car door inwardly pulling the nails from the jamb J which, by the time the arms 5 and I4 are in alignment, are clear of the jamb. Further hoisting on the block and tackle lifts the door clear of the floor permitting the grain to escape between its lower edge and the car floor.

Various modifications Will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to provide proper strength and rigidity to the various members of the device but all within the scope of the 40 present invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A car door opener comprising an arm, means at one end to engage a xed post'l or the like, 45 means at the other end to receive a hoisting tackle, a second arm pivoted by one end to the first at a point intermediate its ends, and a gaff link pivoted at the free end of the second arm.

2. A car door opener comprising an arm, a port engaging clamp pivoted at one end of the arm, means at the other end of the arm to receive a hoisting tackle, a second arm pivoted by one end at a point intermediate the ends of the rst arm and of a length longer than that part of the first arm between the pvot'I and its tackle engaging end, and a link pivoted on the free end of the second arm havingan outwardly directed prong.

3. A tool for opening the doors of grain cars, comprising a clamp adapted to engage a xed postl or the like, means for removably engaging the face of the car door and toggle means com# prising pivoted members, one of said members pivotally associated with the clamp and the other pivotally associated with the door engaging means.

THOMAS A. MARTIN. 

